Sabtu, 11 April 2009

Well, it is no secret that epidemics such as childhood obesity and youth onset diabetes are a problem this day and age with today's youth. Kids spend more time in front of the X Box, the Playstation, and the Wii than doing anything constructive that will benefit them.

To me this is a major problem. I would blame a lot of parents for not taking a more proactive approach in trying to discipline their children to workout and be more active individuals. Now most people say I am being a little over the top when I mention the words discipline, kids, and workout all in the same sentence. Well, lets look at this logically. For one, when I was growing up me and my friends never had to be told to go out and play. As a matter of fact, we frequently asked permission to do so. Also, with many kids taking the TIME and LIBERTY to play their favorite video games the numbers show that they are certainly not doing anything positive with their health when you compare numbers on kids from about 10 years ago.The bottom line is that there has been a change in lifestyle. As a professional I would strongly suggest that you enroll your child in a highly effective strength training program. Now when I say strength training don't assume I mean weightlifting. There is a difference. Kids can gain tremendous fitness and strength through properly manipulating and utilizing their own body-weight. With an effective strength training program a child promotes stronger muscles, stronger bones, promotes fat-loss, and lays the foundation for being a healthy and fit adult later on in life.

If you do decide to take this approach I would highly recommend hiring a professional. There are many things you can do as a parent to ensure that your child stays healthy. Aside from implementing and getting them involved in a strength and conditioning program you can enroll them into some sort of recreational sport or activity. Many of these sports include some level of strength training that is more beneficial for your child than the X Box!

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at http://www.efandps.com

Senin, 06 April 2009

If there's one disease which is considered to be the number one killer in the US, that is none other than heart disease. When you combine together the fact that a lot of people are leading a sedentary lifestyle and that they are hardly exerting an effort to have a healthy diet, it is no wonder why the traitorous disease involving heart attacks and strokes have become a major health scare in the nation.

So what are you supposed to do to counteract this effect? Basically you do need to learn as much as you can about the risk factors, causes and how heart disease can be prevented. Perhaps the best way to start learning about these things is to enumerate the top 4 food items that will help keep your heart in tip-top shape.

1. Eggs

Contrary to popular belief, including a healthy number of eggs in your weekly diet is not bad for your heart at all. There is actually a difference between the cholesterol contained in the foods that you eat and the cholesterol level in your blood.

There's a study released by the British Medical Journal which showed that eating one egg everyday for an entire week, when combined with a low-fat and high-fiber diet, is a good diet which actually helped fight off fat and maintain a good level of cholesterol in the blood.

2. Onions

The next time that you prepare your salad, make sure to put a lot of raw onion slices in it. Just like garlic, onions are found to contain compounds which help prevent blood clotting. These two kitchen staples also improve a person's cholesterol levels and helps lower blood pressure.

3. Fish and fish oil

If you've ever seen an advertisement for a tuna product, you might remember seeing the term Omega-3 - which is considered to be a healthy fatty acid which benefits the heart. This is something that can be found in fish and fish oils. In addition to maintaining the health of your heart, fish and fish oils also help prevent blood clotting.

4. Foods rich in fiber

Fiber is a good absorber of cholesterol and it's a great way to improve the health of your heart. So you need to include a lot of oats, chickpeas, legumes and grapefruit on your diet.

Remember that your heart is one of the most important parts of your body that you should never take for granted. The next time that you go grocery shopping, include these top 4 foods in your shopping cart to ensure that you will have a happy, healthy heart.

Thomas B. Chuong is currently writing about topics related to home improvement & decor, personal fitness, and home & garden. Find out more by visiting these sites Futon, and Trampoline.

Rabu, 01 April 2009

A lot of women get stressed out and lose their cool confidence in the face of beauty blunders which can otherwise be fixed if they only knew a few beauty tricks. Below are some of the most common beauty blunders that can be fixed in no time without the need for a beauty professional in landau scrubs.

Mascara mess

Long lashes are seductive so the tendency for a lot of women is to wear tons of them, which is a mistake. Wearing too much mascara is a big beauty blunder; it tends to clump and make it uncomfortable, not to mention unsightly. Badly applied mascara is also notorious for smearing and making you look as if you just woke up straight from a wild night out party, or that you just had an emotional breakdown and have been crying all day, or that you are a slob. In any case, it makes your appearance look cluttered. Assuming this is not your intention, you can easily fix this common beauty mistake by making sure that your mascara is fairly new (old ones tend to dry up and clump inside). Apply one coat of mascara at a time. Let it dry completely before adding another layer of mascara. Use an eyelash comb to get the clumps out if any. Opt for quick-dry and waterproof mascaras.

Eyeliner disorder

Applying eyeliner can be a bit tricky and can take some getting used to. Choosing an eyeliner that does not smear, stays in place for hours, and has a precise brush (if it is a liquid liner) are all important. For those new to applying eyeliners or still haven't gotten the hang of it, it is better to use a pencil rather than a liquid liner because it is easier to apply. Apply the liner on your upper lid, outlining the edges of your lid as precisely and evenly as possible. On the lower lid, outline the outer corner for a dramatic effect. Don't apply it all the way to the inner part if you don't want to look too dark or gothic.

Complexion chaos

A lot of women envy the clear and flawless complexion of the faces in beauty magazines. While these images are mostly air-brushed in computers and almost impossible to create naturally, their makeup does most of the job in making their face appear flawless. Using concealer and foundation can go a long way to giving you a bright and beautiful complexion akin to celebrities and models. The important thing is to choosing the right shade. A beauty or makeup specialist can easily help you in choosing the right shade for your skin. After washing, toning and moisturizing, use a concealer over blemishes and dark spots on your skin. Blend them in until they are unnoticeable. Dot liquid foundation on points in your forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin (as if you were putting in moisturizer) and dab and blend until it looks natural. Make sure that your neck and face are the same shade. Use foundation on your neck as well when necessary.

Acne is a problem that plagues most of us through our teenage years. In some cases, it continues to be a problem into adulthood. Severe acne can actually leave very unsightly scars in the skin of the face, neck, and around the shoulder area. An outbreak of acne can interfere with having an active social life and dating, as well as possibly leading to a skin infection. So, the question on most teens' and some adults' minds is "What are the best acne treatments?"

The answer is not a simple list of products. There are different skin types that range from oily to dry. Often we may have what is known as combination skin, meaning that part is oily, and part is dry. There may even be some normal skin in the mix. It is important to know what sort of skin you have so that you can choose the proper topical solution.Some are alcohol based. These evaporate quickly and dry the skin, therefore they can make dry skin worse. There are lotions and creams that are somewhat greasy and could add to the problem of oily skin. Sometimes, it can be confusing trying to decide which is needed because of differences in skin.

The best acne treatments are those that control and balance the production of sebum (the skin's natural oil), kill bacteria, and remove dry, dead skin cells. There are some oral medications that can be prescribed by a doctor that contain a substance known as retin-A. Some dietary supplements can be purchased without a prescription that contain the same ingredient.

There are literally hundreds of different brands of topical acne medications that are applied directly to the skin. The active ingredients vary somewhat, but the best contain a combination of ingredients to take care of the different oils and bacteria that can cause an outbreak of acne. Many even contain essential oils that have an antibiotic effect on the skin.

Eliminating acne is a task that many people consider to be outright impossible - numerous people have tried numerous products that didn't do anything. It's no mystery, having acne is a giant nuisance! However, you need to understand that it's totally possible to eliminate acne once you realize how to effectively treat it.

Let's look at the reasons that most acne products don't give you results.

Most treatments are formulated to just treat existing zits instead of preventing and actually attacking the causes of acne - this is a big problem!. These products don't truly address the problem, they merely try to get rid of one zit at a time after they are already on your skin.

Here's the issue! There's just no point in treating one pimple without doing a thing to prevent new outbreaks! This is a big annoyance of mine and I notice many people wasting their cash for this reason.You must use a treatment that treats all of the elements that cause acne if you want to clear your skin. To get rid of your pimples, you have to treat all of the following - specific acne causing bacteria, skin inflammation, clogged skin pores and excess oil on your skin.

And it's entirely feasible. You won't find many useful selections in the stores, you will find acne treatment systems that are formulated to touch on all of the causes of acne. You will notice that these work as a system and typically involve a couple of steps to ensure you're fighting the causes appropriately.

Once you use a product that truly treats the factors that cause acne, you will notice improvements in just a week or so. It's a fantastic feeling being able to look at yourself and seeing the improvements.

Don't give up if you have used products before that never worked! You are going to eliminate your acne when you locate the right treatment for your skin.

Well, have you already tried all of the latest miracle acne cures on the market sold by multinational pharmaceutical and cosmetology companies? And still your acne problems persist. Have you considered trying natural acne cures but are not sure which natural cure for acne works best? There are many natural acne cures that have stood the test of time.

One of the most effective natural cures for acne is changes to your diet because whatever toxins that you put into your body by way of coffee, alcohol, chocolate, potato chips, etc. have a way of being released by your body naturally through your skin in the form of pimples. Drinking plenty of water is very helpful in flushing toxins out of your system.There is a lot of attention paid to keeping your skin ultra clean as a natural cure for acne too. But dirt and oil on the surface of your skin is only part of the problem. The best way to get a permanent natural cure for your skin problem is to go after the root cause of acne which is toxins in your body.

One of the best natural cures for acne was developed by Chris Gibson by trial and error to rid himself of his own acne problems. His program is called Acne Free in 3 Days and has an incredible 98% success rate. It relies on both a detoxifying diet and application of a topical cream to help rid your body of the toxins that are the root cause of your acne problems.

No longer do you have to wake up every morning only to be upset because of your acne. Thanks to the internet, you no longer have to settle for those "over the counter" acne treatments. The one thing you must understand is that if you are currently using those "over the counter" treatments then you will be dependent on them forever.

The "over the counter" treatments will ONLY get rid of your acne. Because they do get rid of acne, everybody is happy and will continue to use them. The problem is that they do nothing to keep the acne from coming back. This is why you will be forced to use those products forever. The only way to get rid of acne for good is to learn how to prevent it from coming back.If you want to prevent the acne, you must first know what is causing it. Almost all acne problems are caused by some negative reaction to your skin. Typically bacteria and the clogging of your pores will cause you to break out. Unfortunately there are some people out there that were born with "bad" skin. People like that will either have to dry or to oily of skin. Skin like that will be more likely to have an acne problem.

The only way to get rid of acne for good is to find a treatment that will get rid of the acne and treat your skin. There are now products that will do both. You can find acne products that offer some sort of moisturizer in it. You also might want to try different soaps and detergents. Sometimes the soaps will cause a negative reaction to your skin.

If you are ready to find some of the latest and easiest treatments to Get Rid Of Acne, then read on.

Jumat, 27 Maret 2009

So many children are dealing with obesity related issues today and the same children are at severely high risk for developing serious and potentially fatal health related problems because of obesity. There are things that adults can do to help minimize childhood obesity related issues which are simple and effective. Let's take a look at some positive methods for the prevention of childhood obesity below.

Prevention tip #1: Adults should monitor what children eat as much as it is possible to do so.

When a child is very young adults often monitor what a child eats. Yet, when the child gets older the adult sometimes puts restraints on what the child eats. Children are apt to make unhealthy eating choices if allowed to do so since they will often display a preference for fatty or sugary foods. It is up to the adult to monitor a child's diet and to place appropriate restrictions on what a child consumes.

Prevention tip #2: Families should become nutritionally educated together, and adults should educate their children about nutrition.

Today's families need to learn all they can about nutrition, so that they can make better food choices and selections. Adults need to teach children about nutrition, calories, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals and children need to be taught how to make sensible food selections early on. The more nutritionally educated a family is the more empowered the family is to make good food choices.Prevention tip #3: Parents need to junk the junk food.

Instead of bringing potato chips, fatty and/or sugary snacks, sugary cereals, and soda pop into the household, parents should opt for more positive food selections. Families should shop together, and children and parents can work together on creating a healthy food shopping list. Parents should encourage children to eat more fruits and veggies and to drink fresh water.

Prevention tip #4: Families should become physically active together in order to prevent childhood obesity.

Families should use quality time to do something physically active. Taking a walk together, playing Frisbee, playing kickball or soccer, playing tennis, or hiking and/or cycling together are just some fun ways to stay physically fit. Parents should teach children that physical exercise can actually be fun.

Prevention tip #5: Families should cook together and make meal time a family affair.

With today's busy society, many families do not even take the time to eat together anymore. The days when families sit down together all at the same time at a dining room table to eat are becoming limited, as busy schedules make it increasingly impossible to get the family together. Families that make a practice of eating together have fewer issues with obesity. It is necessary to make the time to spend with the family and to make meal time a part of the familial routine. Families can cook together too so that children can learn about positive cooking techniques, as well. A family that eats together is a healthier family overall.

Robin Reichert has been studying natural health for the past 10 years. She is an AFPA Certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant and holds a Master of Science degree in Natural Health. She is also working on a personal trainer certification through AFPA. Her passion is lifelong learning and educating others about natural health.

Getting your children involved in all of the stages of food and healthy eating is a must. When people get actively involved with something, they more often than not come to appreciate it more and are more receptive to it. The same can be said for our children. So the more you get them involved with all aspects of food the better. They can help with things like growing, preparation and cooking.

If you have an allotment great or if you have an area set aside in your garden for planting then you will have a good place to start. Just getting them involved in planting, nurturing or picking will hopefully increase their interest and that is all that is needed for healthy eating. Even if they do the minimum like watering a part of your produce it is worth it. To see them realise the crop growing from a seed to food for the table will be priceless.Once the crop is ready to be picked then helping with this process should again keep their interest in the process. I must state that you should try and give them something they can see as quickly as possible. And then try and make sure that they have something to pick on a regular basis so use as many different crops as possible.

After the crops are picked and you begin to prepare them for use in your kitchen you should get your kids involved in preparing a meal and eating it once it has been complete, I will give you some ideas on this later. It will definitely taste a lot better than any processed food.

It will not take much to do a small area for your personal crops and it will save you money. If you go a step further and decide to video the process it will be something you can show family and friends to give the kids added satisfaction and recognition of their achievement.

Why not hide the food you want your children to eat with in their normal food. Here is an example you can add half a shredded onion to a coleslaw whether you buy it or make it yourself. Another example is shedding carrots to add to mashed potatoes. Why not try a soup and packing it with lots of other goodies. You can do this kind of thing for all sorts of food and the kids will not realise and just ask for more.

The younger you do this idea of getting them involved with all the stages of food and using some of the ways to hide foods they think they do not like then you are well on your way to healthy eating practices.

In 21st century America we've developed a system that encourages kids to get fat. For example we have a fast food industry along with a sugary drink, cereal, and candy industry that are all extremely adept at encouraging kids to eat poorly. We have a TV and video game industry that has perfected the art of enticing kids to sit still and watch mindless programs, or play meaningless games that waste hours, days, weeks, months, years, and lives.

We've developed mass produced school systems that are so consumed by science and math that they pay little more than lip service to physical education. In the process1 schools are inadvertently reinforcing the sedentary behaviors that TV and video games have so successfully introduced at a pre-school level.We've also developed unsafe neighborhoods that cause parents to keep their kids indoors instead of allowing them to go outside and run, jump, climb, and play with other kids. We have more and more single parent families in which Mom works so many hours per week at minimum wage that she no longer spends time with her kids who are in turn, spending most of their time in front of the TV, playing video games, and growing overweight if not obese.

This scenario could be carried on almost infinitely, while each piece of the puzzle has its own set of academicians who are busy studying one aspect of the problem and generating a cornucopia of abstract statistics aimed at correcting a broken system. Each piece of the puzzle also has legislators who are sponsoring legislation, humanitarian not-for-profit corporations who are feverishly underwriting projects, and a media that's reporting the story in a way that causes childhood obesity prevention to be confusing, complicated, intimidating, and expensive.

The problem is we're spending $120 billion annually jousting with these systematic windmills while childhood obesity continues to grow like a forest fire raging out of control. In other words, the problem is... what we're doing failing at every turn!

Let's Fix Individuals Instead of the System

If we're really interested in solving the problem, we must start looking at childhood obesity with a different set of eyes. We need to get creative and climb outside of the box before the next generation is incapable of fitting inside the box.

So here's my question. Instead of spending time, energy, and money on fixing the system, what if we devised ways to naturally immunize our kids against the system that's actively undermining them?

For example, what if we naturally immunized kids against fast food advertising? What if we naturally immunized kids against TV and video games? What if we naturally immunized kids against the void of PE in school, etc.? What if our kids suddenly became strong and resilient enough to fend off all these systematic carcinogens? What if the system was suddenly drained of its ability to produce self destructive behaviors in our kids?

Kids Naturally Immunized Against the System

In this light the question becomes, how can we naturally immunize kids against the system that's become so brutally efficient at corrupting their eating and exercise habits and undermining their health and their future in so many ways? Let me offer five possibilities* for your consideration.

1. Find ways to help your kids learn to do pull ups because kids who can do pull ups are NEVER OBESE. And by maintaining the ability, these kids have naturally immunized themselves against systematically created obesity for life. Yes they naturally immunize themselves. How cool is that?

2. Find ways to help your kids learn to do dips because kids who can do dips are NEVER OBESE. And by maintaining the ability, these kids have naturally immunized themselves against systematically created obesity for life. Yes they naturally immunize themselves. How cool is that?

3. Find ways to help your kids learn to do hand stand push ups because kids who can do hand stand push ups are NEVER OBESE. And by maintaining the ability, these kids have naturally immunized themselves against systematically created obesity for life. Yes they naturally immunize themselves. How cool is that?

4. Find ways to help your kids learn to climb a rope because kids who can climb a rope are NEVER OBESE. And by maintaining the ability, these kids have naturally immunized themselves against systematically created obesity for life. Yes they naturally immunize themselves. How cool is that?

5. Find ways to help your kids learn to master any sufficiently challenging body weight exercise because kids who can do sufficiently challenging body weight exercises are NEVER OBESE. And by maintaining the ability, they've naturally immunized themselves against systematically created obesity for life. Yes they naturally immunize themselves. How incredibly cool is that?

One More Way to Say It

Let me say this in a little different way. Show me 10 McDonald's employees who can do pull ups and I'll show you 10 McDonald's employees who are not obese. Show me 100 TV and video game lovers who can do dips and I'll show you 100 TV and video game lovers who are not obese. Show me 1000 kids who loathe PE but can do hand stand push ups or climb a rope, and I'll show you 1000 kids who are not obese.

Instead of Waiting on Systematic Cures, Take the Bull by the Horns Yourself

Instead of waiting for experts to correct the broken system, let's take the matter into our own hands and immunize kids against it by starting young, helping them learn to master and maintain the ability to do sufficiently challenging body weight exercises. If we have parents and educators helping kids to naturally immunize themselves against a system that's designed to undermine them, my bet is the windmills will collapse at our feet, and the system will find itself being corrected from the bottom up instead of from the top down. What do you think?

*These are all examples of what is known in some circles as a functional acid test strategy (FATS) against childhood obesity.

Rick Osbourne spent 17 years as a physical educator and coach. He currently serves as Executive Director of Operation Pull Your Own Weight, (http://www.pullyourownweight.net) an informational website whose claim to fame is a strategy that motivates kids to naturally immunize themselves against obesity for life. Osbourne is also a public speaker, and his book "Operation Pull Your Own Weight: A Radically Simple Solution to Childhood Obesity," (on Amazon) shows parents and educators how to motivate their kids to eat better, exercise more, and to naturally immunize themselves against obesity for life. Osbourne a can be reached at Osbourne.rick@gmail.com

Minggu, 22 Maret 2009

If you watch the tabloids, you know that even the stars have bad hair days. It just seems that when the professional stylists are out of the picture, it is inherently human to have a less than glamorous mane. But you can do your part to stay ahead of the battle by following these 10 great tips for hair care.

1. Use a professional conditioner that is formulated for your specific hair type. While you can skimp a little on the shampoo, a good, professional conditioner is a must have. Look for products in salons that are customized for your hair type. For instance: If you have color or a perm, choose a conditioner that is for chemically processed hair. And stay away from those all-in-one shampoo and conditioner combos.

2. Choose a cut tailored to your face and body shape. The number one mistake that people make when choosing a new hairstyle is to pick a style based on popularity rather than how it will enhance their features. Always choose a new cut based on how it will enhance or detract from your facial features and build. If you have broad shoulders, choose a full-bodied cut over a close cropped head hugging do.

3. Don't forget your UV protectants. Just as your skin gets damaged by wind and sun, so does your hair. To combat this, look for finishing products such as mousses, gels and sprays that block UV rays.4. Keep your appointments. Did you know that your hair will split faster than it will grow? You need to get a trim every 6 to 8 weeks, even if it's just a micro trim. A good hairdresser makes them good because they know what to leave on the head, not take off.

5. Leave chemicals to the professionals. There is a reason why beauticians need to go to school to learn how to handle chemicals and hair processes. You can do irreparable damage with these products even if the package says that it's way easy. And even if you don't make your hair fall out, you could end up looking like a clown and paying a stylist big bucks to fix your mess. (Note: Most stylists charge double the rate for corrective color than they do for normal color processes)

6. Get color for interest and body. Every cut needs a little bit of color to make it truly breathtaking. No matter whether your taste is subtle or dramatic, you can add interest and volume to your tresses with a color process. Highlights, lowlights, all over color, gray coverage, you name it, it's all good for your look.

7. Do weekly conditioning treatments. Even if your hair is extremely healthy, it is constantly on the attack from wind, sun, cold and heat. During the summer months, your hair is battered even more when it absorbs chlorine and other chemicals from your pool.

8. Get an ionic ceramic flat iron. Instead of frying your hair with a conventional metal plated flat iron. Straighten your tresses, add shine and infuse moisture with one of the a negative ionic flat irons. We personally use T3 irons for all our work.

9. Choose your styling products wisely. Avoid products that leave build-up on your hair. If you see white gunk, that means that your product is not water-soluble and may be coating your hair shaft. Build-up causes limpness, breakage and inability to curl not to mention the white flakes.

10. Did you know that if you use a towel after your shower to dry your hair you are causing split ends and adding static electricity to your hair. Don't rub the towel back and forth over your hair, scrunch the towel around your hair like your would scrunch crackers in your soup. While all of these tips won't make you look like you have hired a personal hairdresser, they will help you look the very best that you can each and every day. When it comes to hair care, remember that you wear your hair everyday. Now isn't it worth the time, effort and money that it takes to keep it looking spectacular?

Meredith is blogger on asian hair fashion and hair care topics. Being an asian herself and someone who likes to change hairstyle every 3 months, she has fond interests in the latest hairstyle trends and hair color in asia. Do visit her asian hair and beauty blog at http://www.asianhairandbeauty.com for lots of nice hair pictures and good tips

Under eye bags, dark circles and puffiness often irritate us. Their presence haunts us every morning. We try to get rid of them desperately but they keep lurking in our shadows from early morning till late night. These problems are caused due to various reasons. These are causes by lack of sleep, excess alcohol consumption, stress and allergies. But sometimes it's genetic! Staring at the computer for long hours can give you under eye bags and dark circles.

So let's find out the causes and treatments of Under Eye Bags, Dark Circles and Puffiness.Its Causes :

Under eye bags and puffiness are caused due to retention of water . During our sleep they get stored. There can be many reasons such lack of sleep, excess salt intake and high stress levels for it. Sometimes allergies or health issues cause puffy eyes.

Its Treatment:

· If you slightly change your sleeping posture like elevating the head may help you. It will help in the proper drainage of sinus cavities. A well balanced diet and properly dehydrated body will prevent you from eye puffiness.

· It is always advisable to use fluid based creams like gels and lotions for curing dark circles. Our skin easily absorbs them. You can also consult a doctor for knowing the exact reason behind your eye bags and dark circles.

Nowadays, the woman is gaining more power and independence. She is seeking to excel in different fields at the same time. She is juggling with her role of worker, mother and woman. It may be unfair but despite her big duties as a mother and if she works, as a worker, she is expected to be beautiful, feminine and elegant. To climb the society scales, women have to correspond to those different criteria. It is worth noting that women are tending to give a big importance to their appearance, therefore, they don't hesitate to profit from all the beauty products available on the market and surgical operations become very easy to consider. It is true that surgery is not accessible for everybody; nonetheless, prices are lowering making it possible for a bigger number of people to undergo esthetical operations. Women are given the opportunity to fight time factors with face lifting for instance, or, to avoid surgery, with botox injections that help to erase wrinkles.

Anyway, women are always unsatisfied with a part of their body and one of the most known feminine complexes is the breasts volume! It is clear that most of the complaints concern small breasts, nevertheless, many women complain of their too big breasts. Breast enlargement surgery is becoming a very frequent and quite accessible practice. Many women, dissatisfied with their breasts volume or in order to fulfill their partners' phantasm, do not hesitate to undergo suchlike surgery.Apparently, it seems that life is becoming so easier: You have something you don't like in your body? No problem! Get on the surgery table and we will get rid of it! But when we take a little time to think of it, we find out that people seem to widely underestimate all the surgery risks.

Actually, for the sake of cupidity, many dubious surgeons are tending to banalize esthetical operations profiting from despaired people who are ready to believe in anyone who offers to solve their problems. One should not forgot that any surgery, esthetical or not, that requires general anesthesia is dangerous, any person undergoes the risk to die during the anesthetic state as it did happen to many people. One should also think twice before having an esthetical operation and should not see the successful operations only but also see the misfired cases which may be horrible and utterly deterrent.

Every one has heard about the current affair of the surgeon-butcher! A prestigious esthetical surgeon who disfigured many celebrities leaving "Michael Jackson", "Mickey Rourke" and "Meg Ryan" with badly unrecognizable faces. Unfortunately, damages caused by esthetical operations are most of the time irreversible! How many women found herselves with hideous breasts accompanied most often with health problems, and could do nothing about it! How many women were empoisoned by the breasts implant liquid which has propagates in their body. Another risk of the breasts implant is the risk to explode in a high altitude or under a high pressure, so no more air travelling or diving? Most women seem also to not know that breasts implant have to be replaced every ten years, and every time by bigger ones, imagine that you undergone the surgery at the age of 20, at the age of 50 you will find yourself like Lolo Ferrari! Having big breasts does it deserve all these risks and sacrifices? No, not necessarily! Why opting for risky choices when safer ones exist? Herbal drugs free from side-effects are available on the market. The formulation of herbal product for breasts enlargement consists on phytoestrogens (naturally occurring non-hormonal plant estrogens). These phytoestrogens stimulate your body to support the growth of new breast tissue. Furthermore these kinds of dugs make your breasts firmer and fuller with no drawbacks in the safest way ever preventing you from any surgery risk.

Herbal curing is an ancestral medicine and one would be amazed to see how many ailments we can cure and how many problems we can fix with plants. It is very natural for a woman to aim for bigger breasts but what is not natural is to risk life in this purpose, so the wisest manner remains in fulfilling your dream in the safest way.

As a fitness professor, she acquired a significant experience in weight loss therapies, having weight problems herself; she went across different medicines and discovered that herbal medicine is the safer way to lose superfluous kilos. She also discovered that herbal medicine can be used in different manners to improve physical appearance such as breast and penis enlargement. Now, she wants to share her knowledge and experience with other people

Jumat, 20 Maret 2009

Are you asking yourself how to grow taller naturally? Are you irritated by the so called "growth pills"? You should be! Because people who sell those pills claim that everyone - no matter what age - can grow 5 or more inches in just 3 weeks - just by taking their "magic bullets"!

But let's get serious: After the growth plates are closed, which normally takes place at an age around 16-18 for girls and 18-21 for boys, your bones can't grow any longer. So you can forget about growth pills - there is no scientific proof they work.

However, until this age there are ways to grow taller naturally. You probably already know the basic tips: enough calcium, vitamins and minerals, physical activity and enough sleep.

But here is a fact that you probably don't know: You can increase the amount of the Human Growth Hormone, the natural hormone that your body produces and that makes your body grow, in a natural way.You do so by practicing special exercises that can increase the Human Growth Hormone level in your body by 300%! Hill sprints are an example, but generally all exercises that work a lot of major muscle groups at the same time are appropriate (for example reverse push-ups, jumper squats). The crucial point is to train at a high intensity. More precisely: you must exercise at above the lactate threshold intensity for at least 10 minutes (at this intensity lactic acid starts to accumulate in the blood stream). This means that a 20-year old should with at a heart rate above 160 (for a 25 year-old, the heart rate should be above 156).

But there are also good news for adults that have stopped growing years ago, not only teenagers. Adults can profit by the fact that the spine can grow regardless of your age.

There is scientific proof that you can grow up to 3 inches permanently using special stretching exercises. These special exercises stretch and strengthen the muscles around your spine. The effect: Your spine will lengthen an inch or two. Following, the spinal discs and the cartilage in your spine will thicken which will give you an additional inch of height.

The stretching exercises you can do are Cobra, Bridge, The Skier or Bar Twist. For the exercise called Cobra, you have to lie on the floor facing the ground, put your palms under your body under your shoulders. Then try to arch your spine up as far back as you can (with your hips still on the ground). Remain in this position for 8 seconds. You will find more details and exercises in this best-selling e-book.

P.S. Did you know that there are studies showing that every additional inch of height increases your chances for relationships with the opposite sex and even for financial success?

Work and health. These two topics are this century's biggest concerns. In fact, they're so interrelated these days that you'd be hard pressed to find people who work without concern for their health. And I'm not just talking about physical health, but mental and emotional health as well. Along with increasing rates of obesity, this country is also experiencing increasing rates of depression, apathy, and detachment from family, friends, and life itself. Suicides are at an all time high, violence is in an upsurge (if you watch the news, anyway), and people are becoming more self absorbed and concerned for their welfare than they are for their children.

What is the reason this is happening? It is the relationship we have in this country between our health and our work behaviors. Both systems have foundations in the old 19th century industrial work ethic and mentality. What we seem to miss is that by keeping the assumptions and beliefs of our forefathers in regards to work and health, we will not be able to change either the health care system or how we work. What are these assumptions and beliefs?Here is an incomplete list:

-working 9 to 5(or 6) Monday through Friday for 40 years or more is how we always work, despite the changes in our world concerning doing work and business via new technology-adhering to an agrarian educational system (children go to school from fall to spring with summers off)-working longer hours produces better results than working shorter hours-using managers as vehicles to control the mass of employees who are obviously not competent, need ideas and plans and behaviors given to them from above, have no lives of their own, and are not trustworthy-physical health can be separated from mental and emotional health-time equals money-high levels of stress do not contribute to health problems-work is more important than anything else in life which includes family, friends, hobbies, passions, creativity, imagination, rest, sleep, health, nature, and sports-our health care system is the best one in the world-our health care system really is a health care system rather than a pill and repair location for the body

These assumptions are basic to how our work and health behaviors work. Work in America is the number one activity we all engage in. Despite our complaints about wanting a life or being healthy or being free, work is what we all do. Work is the identity of America. Not freedom, not liberty, not basic civil rights, not prosperity or wealth. Work is how we all learn about each other and despite this, we all complain about work because none of us really want to do it. This creates a conflict between our emotions and our behaviors. Our behaviors stem from our flawed beliefs and assumptions about what work does for us, while our emotions dictate what we would really like. And despite the current saying that emotions dictate behavior, it's actually the other way around. Our behaviors dictate our emotions.

Think about this. Anytime you want to go to do something, whether it's watching a movie, hanging out with friends or family, playing with your dog, or taking a nice and casual walk in the middle of the day, we can't. The thing we want to do the most is relegated to secondary importance because work is considered priority. Who's priority? The company you either work for or your own business. And although we have tons and tons of time management courses and gurus, this way of living is getting worse and worse.

We've all read or heard that we must take time for the most important things in our lives, with health being number one. We can see that this will not work if we continue to believe the above beliefs and assumptions. We must replace these beliefs/assumptions with more empowering ones that will allow us to easily live lives of balance.

Which leads to a question about health. What is health? Is it being able to move like you did when you were 20? Or being able to creatively come up enough ideas to change the world? Or is it being able to enjoy the life you've been given each and every single day? The answer is that health encompasses our entire life. It means being able to live a life where you can be creative, in control, and minimize physical, mental, and emotional suffering until the very end of your life. It means following your heart's desires and still retain the maturity and wisdom gained from past experience. It means being able to keep up with your kids when at the park. It means achieving the dreams you've always wanted to achieve. Health is the totality of life. Without health in any given moment, your life is not up to its potential.

Our work behaviors decrease our health potential. By believing work only gets done between certain hours on particular days or in particular ways, our health suffers. By believing that we should work for a company that says it has your best interests at work but really doesn't is a fool's task. Believing our work or health care system helps make America superior in the global environment is false, but it certainly produces illness and disease here in this great country. So, what are the new empowering beliefs and assumptions we "should" have?

-Work to get work done only when it needs to be done. If it's not an emergency or a real priority relegate it according to your own to do list for the day-The results of work should be productive and that's all it should be based on, not the time you needed to get it done.-Health is life. Without following our dreams or passions, being creative, getting enough sleep or rest, or doing activities we really enjoy, life can be an empty shell filled only with work.-Work is fourth to family, friends, and passions-Trust. Trust in yourself and trust others. If you are an adult, you should realize that other adults can be just as trustworthy as you when work needs to get done-Play should be 80% of your life while work should be 20%-Consistently repeat these beliefs to yourself each day in order to reap lifetime benefits

This is how health can be increased work behaviors changed. This is not easy, but it is a simple way of changing the way we do business and live our lives. If you have any questions, comments please let me know at my e-mail address. Thanks.

In order to treat low blood pressure, doctors say that first you need to know the cause. In the case of chronic low blood pressure it can be treated with the help of a diet and a lifestyle change. Here are some suggestions you can follow with your diet:

Drink plenty of water - At minimum, you should drink 10 glasses of water a day, this will keep the volume of blood at good levels. Pay special attention to this tips during exercise and hot weather.Add salt to your food. A diet high in salt promotes the increase of blood pressure. This can be helpful if you suffer from hypotension. If you have a history of heart failure it is better to discuss this with a doctor.

Have regular exercise. Set apart some time of the day to do some exercise and you'll be easily promoting blood flow.

If you suffer from postural hypotension, you should shift your posture smoothly, taking care not to stand up too quickly. Instead, consciously take some time to breathe deeply and pump your feet to allow blood circulation. If you are on the bed, sit upright on the edge and take some minutes before standing up. Some people recommend stretching the leg before standing to increase flow of blood to the heart.

Other tips to treat postural hypotension include elevating slightly the head of the bed, avoiding heavy lifting and avoiding straining when going to the toilet.

In cases of hypotension after meals, the treatment for low blood pressure would be to eat small meals more frequently and rest after each meal. Food to avoid include high carb food like pasta, bread or rice. Caffeine on the other hand can help you increase the pressure of blood.

There are many dangerous jobs, some physically, some mentally. This is why when you get injured on the job, it is important to not only be diagnosed for physical injuries, but also go through a psych evaluation test.

While it might not be well know, depression is a very common grievance on many Social Security and Supplemental Security Income claims. This statistic can be taken two ways. There are many people who suffer from crippling depression from the type of job or workplace they have. On the other hand, those who get physically disabled at work, often go through a period of time in which they become depressed.The Social Security Administration (SSA) has many different ways of evaluating people's mental health in which case they can award disability benefits.

First they will require you to send all of your medical records to the SSA for review. These are not just your medical records for physical disabilities, but any record of treatment for depression or mental health.

Your case officer will evaluate your mental health based on these medical records. However, if they do not believe there is enough information or evidence of depression, they will require you to undergo and mental status examination (MSE). This does not mean that SSA does not believe you or doubts your claim, they just need evidence to justify give you disability aid. This is a free examination, which the doctor can also prescribe you any appropriate medication they believe you need.

If the doctor in the medical examination believes that you are affected by depression, the SSA will move forward to their next test. The next test is to determine how your now diagnosed depression affects the rest of your life. Does it keep you from working? Does it keep you from doing everyday activities?

Depression can greatly affect the prosperity of one's life, which is why it is important to get diagnosed as soon as possible. Start living a better life today with the support you need.

For More Information

If you would like more information on depression caused by disabilities visit http://www.indianapolissocialsecuritylawyer.com for more information on how to cope. Getting over the emotional strain of a new disability should not be something you go through by yourself

What are the best growing taller exercises? You probably know about all the exercises for growing taller and the diets and the things you can buy to put inches on your height. The best way to gain inches is by a combination of eating and exercising correctly.

If you have to pick one exercise it would have to be swimming. It not only forces your body to release a large amounts of HGH which is needed for you to grow, but it also exercises every muscle in your body and strengthens your back. After spending all day sitting in a car or at a desk the best therapy for your back and to become taller is to swim.There many people who do not have the time to go to the gym, or to use a swimming pool, or they just do not like it. There are other exercises you can use though to gain height.

What other growing taller exercises can you do. There seems to be a lot of mystery around these exercises. Individuals who find them keep them to themselves and companies tell you it is not possible and then try to you sell you vitamins and proteins instead.

The only secret here is this. There is no secret. If you want to gain any height you need to attack the problem from two angles. The first is to improve your posture and the second is to improve the shape of your spine. There are many exercises you can use to do this and they are not secret. It is just a matter of exercising and stretching correctly for 15 minutes a day and eating properly.

There are many programs out there that claim to show you these exercises. Some just make things up. Few do work. By picking the right program you will correct your posture and become taller.

Rabu, 18 Maret 2009

Blood Cholesterol is produced by our body for several purposes.In some people it is produced more than is required by our body,especially when the diet contains saturated fats. Saturated fats in the diet force the body to make too much cholesterol. The cholesterolmay become high when our diet is rich in saturated fats that are found only in animal products. Plant foods do not contain any cholesterol, but the animal foods are loaded with cholesterol and fats. Most of the fast foods are very rich in fats, monounsaturated fats. If youeat lot of meats and fast foods, then the chances are that you have high cholesterol. You should get your blood cholesterol checked. Remember that without your blood cholesterol report, you can not know if you have high cholesterol.

Blood cholesterol can be both good and bad. There are two types of cholesterol: LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol & HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol. The LDL cholesterol is knownas "bad cholesterol" because it gets deposited on the walls of thearteries as plaque, and restricting the flow of the blood. The HDL cholesterol, known as the "good cholesterol" helps remove the plaquefrom the arteries. Both the types of cholesterol are produced by ourbody for certain functions and are always present in our blood. The problem arises when the cholesterol is produced more than is required by our body. The following are the desirable levels of cholesterol in adults:Total Cholesterol: below 200 mg/dlLDL cholesterol: less than 130 mg/dLHDL cholesterol: more than 35mg/dL

HDL cholesterol of less than 35mg/dL is a risk factor for heart disease, even if your total cholesterol is within limits. Both LDL and HDL cholesterol can be improved with regular exercise and eating low fat cholesterol friendly foods.

To take better care of your heart and reducing your risk for heart attack, you must understand the complete facts about cholesterol and howto control cholesterol.

Note that you do not always need to take medication to lower cholesterol. There are several natural heart friendly foods that are good for controlling cholesterol without any medication. Good eating habits and some exercise can control your cholesterol and triglycerides naturally.

Looking to lose some pounds quickly? Fast and safe weight loss is possible - but only if you do it right. Just keep in mind that we're only talking about losing a few pounds here. 5, maybe 10, within a few weeks. No matter what anyone tells you, you're not going to safely lose 20 lbs. of fat in 2 weeks. It's just not possible. Plus, long-term weight loss success usually only occurs after many months of slow, steady body fat reduction through increased exercise and healthier eating. It's also important to remember to check with your doctor before starting any intense weight loss program.

That said, there are some proven steps you can take to lose a few pounds quickly, without hurting yourself. In fact, the following fast weight loss tips will probably improve your health. Sound good? Then here you go...1. Eat a lot of food - Yes, you read that right, eat a lot! The process of eating and digesting food requires a lot of energy (calories) and significantly boosts your metabolism, especially when you eat small meals every 2 or 3 hours. The key is to eat the right foods... and none of the wrong foods, at least while you're on your fast weight loss program. The "right foods" include things like:

- lean proteins (especially low-fat chicken and turkey)

- fresh, uncooked vegetables (especially greens)

- beans and legumes (cooked without added fat)

- unsalted, oil-free nuts and seeds

- small amounts of olive oil and flax seed oil

- lots of pure water (not a real "food" but extremely important)

The "wrong foods" - what you should definitely avoid while you're trying to lose weight quickly - is pretty much everything else, but especially:

- foods and beverages with sugar

- white flour

- breads, pastas, cereals, etc.

- white rice

- potatoes

2. Avoid cravings - The most difficult part of any weight loss program is dealing with food cravings. When you stop eating the high-fat, high-sugar, high-calorie foods you're used to eating, your body rebels. Your brain tries to force you to go back to eating those unhealthy foods. But there are ways to deal with this natural response. One of the best strategies is to use distraction. Basically, whenever you feel a food craving coming on you get up and do something that takes your mind off of eating. Get out and do some exercise. Read a good book. Listen to your favorite music (fast-paced, heart-pumping music is often the best for this). Talk on the phone with a friend. Play a video game. Just do whatever it takes to distract your brain. After awhile your cravings should lessen.

3. Increase your cardio exercise - If you're already exercising on a regular basis, do more cardiovascular training to burn more fat. You don't have to do A LOT more, just enough to burn a few hundred more calories per day. Combined with your healthy fast weight loss diet it should be enough to drop a few pounds quickly. If you don't exercise regularly, you should ask your physician to recommend an easy "beginner's" exercise program that includes walking and/or light jogging. Also, try to do activities you enjoy. If you don't like running on a treadmill, don't try to force yourself to do it. Instead, go hiking, ride a bike, play some basketball/tennis/soccer/etc. Just make sure it's something you enjoy... and you'll keep doing it until your waist is a little smaller and your several pounds lighter!

John W. Lewis is a health and fitness writer for several popular web sites. To learn more about fast, safe weight loss visit the Real Fast Weight Loss Blog at: http://www.realfastweightloss.info

If you are among the millions of people searching for a weight loss program that will produce quick results, here are a few tips and suggestions you may want to consider. There are many weight loss programs that promise rapid weight loss. In order to lose weight and keep it off, you need a diet plan that you can follow permanently.

If you want to lose weight and successfully keep it off, you must choose aweight reduction program that is compatible with your lifestyle. For example, ifyou enjoy pasta, bread, and rice, then a low carb diet plan will not be the bestchoice for you. If red meat, chicken, poultry, and fish are among your favoritefoods, a diet plan that severely restricts these foods would be impractical foryou. In beginning any type of diet, make certain you can live with thesacrifices that will be required. Although you may lose weight quickly, yourresults could be temporary and it is very likely you will regain the weight youworked so hard to lose.Regardless of the diet program you decide upon, here are a few dieting tips thatwill help you in your weight loss journey:

Avoiding deep fried foods will not only help you restrict the number of caloriesyou consume, but will also be a healthy way to help eliminate fat from yourdiet.

Exercise on a daily basis. Even if your exercise program only consists of a walkaround the block, daily activity will help boost your metabolism so that youburn calories more efficiently.

Make certain to drink at least 8 full glasses of water each and every day.Consuming enough water is imperative to your dieting success.

Eat only when you are hungry. If you have finished your meal or snack and stillfeel hungry, try drinking a glass of water and waiting 10 minutes. Then if youcontinue to feel hungry, have a piece of fruit or some raw vegetables. Youshould limit your consumption of salty, fat-laden snacks and candy. It's betterto consume additional calories in the form of protein-rich, healthy foods thanquick snack foods that provide little or no nutrition.

The best diet plan is one that you can live with the rest of your life.Exercise, plenty of water, and smart food choices will help you obtain the bodyand healthy lifestyle you have always wanted.

There are many products available to help you lose weight. There aresupplements, diet plans, programs and online support systems tohelp you manage your eating habits and measure your weight loss progress. Someof these companies provide support and help with your dieting program. We canhelp you by providing you with a free list of our recommended best sources foreffective weight loss products and services. To view our list of recommendedsources to help you lose weight or to readmore articles about dieting visit: Recommended Weight Loss & Diet Resources Online.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of eZerk, an informational website about various topics with articles and the latest news. Visit her website to read articles from various sources on dieting & weight loss

Dieters have long searched for secret paths to easy weight loss. Soon enough, anyone trying to lose weight will discover a mind-boggling variety of weight loss plans, even some that appear to contradict others. The reason for this may be that that every person has a different set of factors to consider when starting a weight loss diet.

Individual differences in knowledge about food as well as differences in individual preferences make certain diets more appealing than others to each individual. Motivation and past experiences with dieting may make some people look for weight loss plans that are very scripted, while others will opt for more general information to apply to daily life.One thing to remember when deciding how to go about losing weight is that there is no single best way to lose weight. There are, however, some basics common to all successful weight loss plans.

The basics of weight loss are simple.

To lose weight, you must consume fewer calories than you burn. Calories are burned through exercise or products that boost metabolism. Eating less, as well as choosing low calorie or low fat foods limits the number of excess calories that must be burned in order to lose weight. The only way to lose weight and keep it off is to become educated about what foods and behaviors to choose.

Once you know the basics of good nutrition and exercise, you can develop a successful weight loss plan. The most successful weight loss efforts do not fall into place overnight. You will have to do some experimenting and careful research to find the method of weight loss that works best for you.

Minggu, 15 Maret 2009

Have you just found that your cholesterol levels are high? If you think this is not something serious that you need not worry about, you are wrong. The problems created because of excessive cholesterol in your blood is indeed very dangerous as it can lead to serious heart diseases. What this cholesterol actually does is get deposited in your arteries and go ahead and block them. This reduces the flow of blood to your heart thereby leading to heart attack in the end.

The only way you can fight against elevated cholesterol is to start using natural supplements like Cholestasys. The best part is that it does not contain any chemical constituents and hence does not cause any side effects. A close inspection of the ingredients will give you enough details in this regard and hence will make convince you that it is indeed an all natural product.The components of cholestasys are many to number. A partial list of the ingredients include Goggul, Niacin which lowers the bad cholesterol and brings up the good cholesterol in your blood, Policosanol which is a sugar cane extract, herbs like Cayanne, Garlic etc. this list in itself is a witness to the fact that it is an all natural product without any mixtures and will hence clear your problems.

There are other products that help you in the same manner and they include Cholesto-rite, OC-MAX, Cholest-Natural etc. Though these products do help in lowering the cholesterol content in your blood, Cholestasys is the most prominent one because it helps in not only controlling cholesterol, but also provide you with increased energy levels, a good supply of blood to the heart etc. More than anything else the ratio at which the natural ingredients are blended in cholestasys is what works miracles.

For a healthy heart, healthy body and healthy soul, make sure you opt for cholestasys. This is an all natural product that creates unbelievable results in your body for which I can stand a guarantee.

Cholesterol levels are being tested all over the world in order to determine risk factors for heart disease, yet many people are confused by their cholesterol numbers and how they are expressed. Part of this confusion may stem from the fact that literature originating in the United States gives cholesterol levels in units that are different from those used in Canada, Europe, and a good portion of the rest of the developed world. So when you are looking for information to help you understand your test results, on the internet and elsewhere, you might not understand the numbers that are reported in the American literature because they might look quite different from the cholesterol numbers on your lab report.

The United States reports cholesterol levels in mg/dL (milligrams per decilitre) of blood. The rest of the world is using the measurement called mmol (or millimoles per litre). Without going back to basic chemistry from high school, let's just say that they are different measurements. So is it any wonder that these two ways of expressing your cholesterol numbers are so different?

Here is how the two different systems of measurement stack up for desirable cholesterol numbers.As expressed in the system of measurement used in the United States

* Total cholesterol = less than 200 mg/dL * LDL = less than 100-129 mg/dL (below 100 is best) * HDL = more than 40 mg/dL (greater than 60 is considered protective against heart disease)

However, as expressed in the SI units (International System of Measurement) that most of the world is using the numbers are stated differently. (You can remember which letters refer to the good and the bad stuff by remembering it this way...H stands for healthy and L stands for lousy.)

* Total cholesterol = less than 5.2 mmol/L * LDL = in the range of than 2.6 - 3.3 mmol/L (less than 2.6 is best) * HDL = in the range of more than 1 to 1.5 mmol/L (higher is better) mmol/L

Can you see the difference in how the cholesterol numbers are expressed? The difference of course is in the units that are being measured. Think of it like metric and imperial measures. Your weight in pounds might be a three digit number but in kilograms it could be a two digit number. Same weight different measurements.

Understanding the Cholesterol Ratio

When used to determine if you have cholesterol risk factors for heart disease it is not the specific levels that are analyzed but rather the ratio of HDL in your total lipid profile. This number is called the cholesterol ratio and it gives an indication of how much of your total cholesterol is the "good" stuff.

The reason this is important is because the HDL is so beneficial, if it is present is sufficient quantities it has a protective effect and the LDL in your system cannot do as much damage. So even if your LDL is higher than the desired levels, if the HDL is high as well and the ratio comes within the desired range then the risk of heart disease is less.

The goal is to keep the cholesterol ratio below 5:1; the optimum ratio is 3.5. The cholesterol ratio comes in at the same number no matter which system of measurement is used. The cholesterol ratio is obtained by dividing the total cholesterol number by the value given for the HDL. For example, if a you have a total cholesterol of 240 mg/dL and an HDL of 60 mg/dL, the ratio is 4. Using the SI system of measurement if the total cholesterol is 7.20 mmol/L and the HDL is 1.8 mmol/L the ratio is still 4.

You can see how this is a better way of understanding the cholesterol risk factors for heart disease and expressing it this way can prevent confusion that might result from not being familiar with the units that are used. This information is also helpful for understanding why the strategies recommended for cholesterol imbalances work. Some of the best strategies are the ones that raise the HDL levels. In particular, exercise has been found to be one of the best ways to improve the cholesterol ratio because it raises HDL levels. By contrast smoking has been found to lower HDL levels so no exercise and smoking is a recipe for low HDL levels, a poor cholesterol ratio, and a higher risk for heart disease.

Cholesterol is found in every cell of the body and is essential for the maintenance of good health. Low cholesterol levels have been associated with poor health so the goal is not to eliminate or reduce cholesterol entirely but to obtain the desirable levels of each type so that the protective benefits of the HDL can work for you in maintaining good health.

So don't get mixed up when trying to understand your cholesterol levels. No matter what way the numbers are expressed the message is the same. You want to have enough of the good stuff and not so much of the bad stuff in order to reduce your risk factors for heart disease.

Beverly Hansen OMalley is a health promotion specialist and likes to write about health related topics that help people in their daily lives. She is the the owner of http://www.registered-nurse-canada.com where she explores the uniqueness of the nursing profession in Canada including comparison of the nursing entrance tests for the US and Canada, comparison of registered nurse salaries across the country and what it means to have a nursing license.

Many parents choose to bank cord blood from their newborn child to try to protect their future health. This practice is becoming more and more popular, especially in recent years, as the baby’s umbilical cord blood contains stem cells, which have been a recent focus of the news media. Stem cells are cells that lack any predestination, meaning they can be used for anything. A stem cell can become a nerve cell, blood cell, bone cell, or anything in between. Instead of discarded cord blood in the delivery room, as was practiced in the past, many parents now make the investment to bank cord blood for the future. As an alternative to storing your child’s cord blood, many parents also choose to donate the cord blood to a cord blood registry or for research purposes in an effort to cure diseases and better understand the workings of the human body.

When making the decision to bank cord blood, consider weighing the following pros and cons provided by the informative Web site Should You Bank Cord Blood in order to make a clear, well-informed choice:Pros:

Donation Solutions: In the event of your child—or any other children you may currently have or will have in the future—needs a transplant, the cord blood will be well within your reach. This is especially important for children of some races, as finding a proper match can be more difficult and depend greatly upon location. Furthermore, matches for critical aspects like bone marrow are a great deal more difficult without having cord blood on hand.

Treatment Possibilities: Hopefully, this will not be of concern for any of your children, but banking cord blood can widen the treatment possibilities when dealing with many diseases. To date, cord blood is used to treat over 45 diseases and disorders, including leukemia, sickle cell anemia, and metabolic disorders. This is especially critical if you have any family history of such diseases or disorder, since many of these medical issues are genetic and can potentially be passed to the next generation.

Compatibility: Since the banked cord blood comes directly from the infant and is comprised of very early stem cells, the risk of incompatibility diminishes. In many instances, cord blood donations from family members can be denied by the body, creating a condition known as graft vs. host disease. Fortunately, with your own banked cord blood, this is generally not a problem.

Cons:

Price: By far, the most constrictive aspect of banking your child’s cord blood is the price. However, many companies offer free storage or storage at a reduced rate for cases deemed “at need.” This is usually cases regarding children that are known to be suffering from some type of disease or disorder before birth, or who have a significant chance of developing an issue due to family history. Before you balk at banking your child’s cord blood, consider the insurance factor for the future. Just like a traditional insurance plan, banking cord blood serves as a backup in case the worst happens.

Need: Fortunately, the need for cord blood is not great and your child—or other children—will hopefully never need a transplant with this lifesaving blood. Generally speaking, approximately one in 20,000 families that bank cord blood actually use the blood at some date. However, just like any other insurance policy, the cord blood is there if it is needed.

Size: With today’s technology, the cord blood cells can only be used for an individual under about 115 pounds. This includes most children and some smaller adults; however, the success rate with larger adults over this 115 pound mark is minimal. Keep in mind, technology is still advancing, so there is a chance that these problems will be solved in case the cord blood is needed in the future.

Maybe you have just realized that you have an alcohol or drug addiction problem and are ready for seeking help with your addiction. Or maybe you are affected by the fact that you have a friend or someone you love who is struggling with and alcoholism or a drug addiction problem. Addiction help is everywhere and is possible to get, but where should I start, you may ask? We know there are many varieties of assistance and help, and all in all this can be very confusing and even overwhelming. The kind of help that you or your loved one need depends on such factors as

* what the addiction is,* the patients history of alcohol or drug addiction,* the patients financial situation* the severity of the alcohol or drug addiction problem.

Addiction help repeatedly includes a trip to inpatient drug rehab. Rather than the scary, institutional setting in most cases depicted in film and legend, inpatient drug or alcoholism rehab units tend to be modern, open, airy and pleasant. In an inpatient drug or alcohol rehab program, you will have the opening to work through not only the detoxification process but also the issues that led up to your drug addiction problem. A stay at an inpatient drug or alcohol rehab will generally be short-term, lasting no longer than a month, unless your individual situation requires a longer period. The main benefit of inpatient drug or alcoholism rehab is that you will have access to 24 hour a day, 7 days a week help and support. The major drawback of inpatient drug rehab is the cost. You will need to decide if your private insurance will cover your stay and if not, whether the institution offers a sliding scale rate based on ability to pay.

Twelve step programs are another rationale that works well for many people. Twelve step programs are commonly run by peer counselors who were once addicted to drugs themselves. This form of addiction assistance is either free or very low cost and generally provides you with a strong support network of those who understand your drug addiction. The biggest disadvantage to this type of program is also its major advantage: that it hands over the full responsibility for working the program to you. Whether or not you are capable to handle this responsibility while living in your current situation is a decision you must make carefully.Another alternative for addiction help is outpatient counseling. This is done with a trained addictions therapist and occurs about twice a week or just one or a few times a month. This all depends on the patient's treatment plan. A therapist will help work through the problems and issues that may have caused the drug addiction to occur in the first place, offering assistance in several forms.

Whatever form of addiction support you choose, remember that getting over drug or alcohol addiction is a lifelong process. While a few former alcoholics claim that they are now able to drink responsibly, current professional thought on the topic is that it is a hazardous game to play. Once you been addicted to a drug - alcohol included - your likelihood of relapse is much higher than the risk of develop addiction for someone who has never been addicted. It is optimal for you to remain free of that drug and any others for the rest of your life.

Actually there is nothing called "the best solution" to the problem of alcohol or drug addiction. Many addicts find that the best solution is to take advantage of a range of addiction help services as they go through the process of becoming drug or alcohol independent The patients decisions will ultimately be based on a multitude of factors and should ideally be made with the assistance of a trained and licensed addictions counselor, doctor or psychologist.

There are actually a couple of reasons why the majority of nutrition diets out there today just plain don't work for most women. I say most because there are always exceptions and because all bodies react to different dieting conditions differently. This is why there is no one, across the board, winning for everyone diet. If you're interested in something different for once, read on.

Most nutrition diets don't work because they require that you closely monitor each and every little thing that you put in your body. How many women out there are sick of calorie counting after the first day of doing it, let alone after a couple of weeks or more. Most diets also require you to starve yourself which only serves to slow down your metabolism and ironically make it more difficult to effectively burn fat so that it ends up staying on you longer when you do eat.Most of the popular nutrition diets allure and trick women into thinking that they are effective simply because of the sheer complex nature of their fundamentals and what they require you to do. When you get into technical calorie counting and measuring out portions and what you eat every minute of the day, it's not fun to eat or live your everyday life anymore and hardly worth the alleged results.

It's also incredibly difficult to stay motivated on such a complicated diet. Motivating is one of the most important aspects of a diet as it is the key to sticking with anything and achieving real results.

The secret in a diet is simplicity. Try THE simple but effective diet, The Day Off Diet today and throw out each and every other nutrition diet from your mind and your pantry because you've finally found something that works.

Sabtu, 14 Maret 2009

Mesothelioma cancer is a disease that results from exposureto asbestos related substances. Asbestos usually consists of fibres that canenter the body through the mouth, or the skin, and, subsequently, enter thelungs, or blood stream.

Mesothelioma cancer has become more widely documented in the last 5-10 years,due to the fact that symptoms of asbestos cancer can take between 20 to 40 yearsto manifest. Mesothelioma cancer is hard to diagnose, as the symptoms do not tendto manifest themselves until the later stages of the disease. Symptoms ofmesothelioma lung cancer include shortness of breath, chest pain, fever and othersecondary illnesses such as pneumonia.

Asbestos cancer most often develops in men between the ages of 50 to 70 yearswho were exposed to high levels of asbestos in the workplace. Asbestos wasmainly used in manufacturing industries such as automotive and ship building aswell as in the construction industry. The use of asbestos was only recentlybanned in the 1990’s.Mesthelioma lung cancer has been found to be the most common form ofmesothelioma cancer and it develops in the lining of the lung (pleural).Mesothelioma cancer can also develop in the abdominal area (peritoneal) andaround the heart (pericardial). There is a greater chance of malignancy inabdominal asbestos cancer. For a more detailed explanation of mesotheliomacancer, visithref="http://www.lung-canceradvice.com">http://www.lung-canceradvice.com

Mesothelioma lung cancer can be detected through a CT scan which enables it to besometimes diagnosed earlier than the other two types of mesothelioma cancer.The type of mesothelioma cancer treatment will depend on the stage at which the cancerwas diagnosed, the age of the patient as well as personal preferences. The disease can bedivided into four separate stages. The stage in the disease process that is reached willdetermine the method of mesothelioma cancer treatment. At the first stage whenthe tumour is confined to the lining of the lungs, surgeons may try to removethe entire tumour surgically. Once the tumour has invaded the surrounding bodytissues in the later stages, it is not curable.

Conventionally, the more advanced stages of mesotheliomacancer are treated with either radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Radiationtherapy utilizes high-energy x-rays to destroy cancerous cells and shrinktumours Chemotherapy, on the other hand, uses drugs to destroy cancer cells.The aim of these mesothelioma cancer treatments is to prolong the patient’s lifeas the disease cannot be cured in the more advanced stages.

In addition to these conventional mesothelioma cancer treatments, there are alsovarious experimental treatments currently under investigation which offer newhope.

Immunotherapy: This form of biological therapy for mesothelioma cancer treatmentuses the patient’s own immune system to attack the cancerous cells. Clinical studieshave shown that the immune system is able to distinguish healthy cells from cancer cells,and can therefore be used to destroy those cancerous cells.

Gene Therapy: This form of mesothelioma cancer treatment is very much still in thedevelopmental stages. The process involves injecting a specific gene straightinto the tumour. This gene renders the cancer cells sensitive to theantiviral drug glanciclovir which under normal circumstances is not effectiveagainst these cells. The glanciclovir is then able to destroy all the cancercells without harming the healthy tissue cells.

Drug Therapy: The drug Alimta is the only chemotherapy drug to be approved bythe Food and Drug Administration (FDA)for the treatment of patients with malignantmesothelioma lung cancer . This new and exciting drug has been demonstrated in clinicaltrials to reduce symptoms and increase the life expectancy of patients.

Photodynamic Therapy: Photodynamic therapy involves the use oflight to destroy cancer cells. The patient first is first administered aphotosensitizing drug that only collects in cancerous cells. Fibre-optic cablesare then inserted in the body in order to focus light of a certain frequency on thetumour. The light stimulates the photosensitizing drug to produce toxic oxygen moleculesthat destroy the cancerous cells.

These experimental mesothelioma cancer treatments, although still in the developmental stages,offer cancer victims the prospect of a better and longer life. With thelikelihood of an increase in the number of people diagnosed with asbestoscancer, further research into other forms of mesothelioma cancer treatment isvital.

The author, Gregory De Villiers, writes on a variety of health and wellness topics. For more information on mesothelioma cancer as well as asbestos litigation, visit http://www.lung-canceradvice.com

Kamis, 12 Maret 2009

A physician may suspect malignant mesothelioma in a patient who has symptoms suggesting this cancer and who reports a history of asbestos exposure. Careful medical examination may also reveal the presence of fluid in the pleural or abdominal cavity. Once malignant mesothelioma is suspected, a number of methods are available to help confirm the diagnosis.

Imaging methods, such as x-rays, CT scans, MRIs and PET scans, help determine the location, size and extent of the cancer, and specifically detect pleural or peritoneal thickening, fluid in the pleural or abdominal cavity, or nodules of cancer cells. However, a definitive diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma can only be made after the examination of cells from abnormal tissue.A biopsy of abnormal tissue is performed to find out whether the cells in this tissue are cancerous or not. Such tissue can be removed through minimally invasive surgery. Fluid in the pleural or abdominal cavity may also contain cancer cells, and may also be removed for analysis. Cells from abnormal tissue or fluid are examined under the microscope, and can be identified as normal or cancerous. However, such examination does not necessarily confirm the type of cancer. Cells found in pleural mesotheliomas can resemble lung cancer cells, and cells found in peritoneal mesotheliomas can resemble ovarian cancer cells. To differentiate between these different forms of cancer, a method called immunohistochemistry is often used. This method detects proteins on the surface of cancer cells that are specific to certain types of cancers. A newer method called DNA microarray analysis examines the genes of cancer cells. Malignant mesothelioma cancer cells have different gene patterns from other cancer cells and from normal cells.

While no blood tests confirm a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma, there are certain blood abnormalities that suggest the presence of a cancer. Recent research suggests that elevated levels of a blood protein called osteopontin may help in the early detection of mesothelioma.